OUR MISSION IS TO GET A BARBELL
IN EVERY WOMAN’S HANDS.

We value longevity in strength with a competitive approach. Our programs are designed to challenge our athletes to level up while placing fun and community at the center of what we do.

A note from our founder:

Strong Strong Friends was inspired by the small gym where I first learned to lift. My friends taught me and pushed me from the very start. Our small community trained together, competed together, and grabbed cheeseburgers after.

Friendship will always be at the heart of what we do. The strong is nothing without the friendly, and to develop our athletes for the long haul, we program with fun at the forefront. Our team refuses to prey on insecurities to sell ourselves. We design programs that work, and create easy to digest content to inspire, inform, and instruct.

Thank you for taking the time to check out our site. Please check out our free content on our social channels for more information. We have free programs and guides that are great to check out before you commit to a paid program.

Stay Strong & Stay Friendly!

<3 Meg

Our Coaches:

After playing basketball and running cross country at the collegiate level, Meg eventually found crossfit and strength training. The competitive spark of crossfit ignited an interest to lead her to compete in crossfit, bodybuilding, weightlifting, strongman, and powerlifting. Meg has gone on to compete in powerlifting at the Arnold Pro Raw Challenge, USAPL Nationals 2015-2018, and has been invited to participate in lifting exhibitions and seminars throughout the United States.

Meg has successfully coached hundreds of powerlifters through either their first squat, first meet, or first national-level competition. Through her YouTube channel and professional passion for the sport of powerlifting, she has studied under and interviewed the strongest strength athletes in the world. Meg has spearheaded SSF's company mission of getting a barbell in every woman's hands, and is working to make barbell training approachable for the masses.

Ryan Espiritu:Certifications: USAPL Club Coach, Safe Sport Certified

Growing up, Ryan competed in hockey, rugby, and track & field at the regional, national, and international levels. Despite enjoying a multi-sport approach to athletics, he narrowed his sights on snowboarding, where he competed in all disciplines, eventually specializing in racing Giant Slalom and Slalom events. Ryan's success included winning the 2012 USCSA National Championship title, as well as competing at the World Cup, Junior, and Senior World Championship levels, racing against the best snowboarders in the world (including Olympic champions).

After completing his undergraduate degree, Ryan put his athletic ambitions on hold in order to chase his professional goals. He moved to Washington, D.C. to begin his career as an economist, where he worked as a policy analyst at the IMF and the World Bank, as well as completed his MSc in Applied Economics. While living in D.C. kept him off a snowboard, Ryan pivoted his passion for athletics and began training in the sport of weightlifting, where he competed as an 85kg lifter. It was through lifting in D.C. that Ryan would go on to meet Meg.

In 2015, Ryan and Meg moved to New York, where Ryan began a private sector role at Credit Suisse. After over a year of juggling demanding day jobs all the while building up their online business, the pair decided to commit 100% to their coaching pursuits full time, and haven’t looked back since.

Leveraging his analytical skillset and coaching background (having coached powerlifting and weightlifting since 2014), Ryan is in charge of infrastructure, programming, and operations at SSF. Ryan holds the role of lead platform coach at meets, has led dozens of lifters to PRs at competitions, and served as Head Coach to 2nd place winning USAPL Raw Nationals Men/Women’s Combined Team (SSF) in 2017. 2017 also marked the return of his competitive snowboarding, where Ryan ranked in the top 12 in the continent in both the North American Championships and Asian Winter Games, as well as top 45 at the 2017 World Snowboard Championships.

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“I used to do bodybuilding style of lifting prior and did not enjoy it as much. Seeing Megs story on YouTube and seeing her IG inspired me to try out powerlifting. Once I decided I really liked the sport and wanted to get better, I thought the two of you would be the perfect fit!

Katie O / 27 / Arizona

“I was introduced to Power lifting via Youtube. I found Meg and she came at being in the gym completely differently than I’d ever seen. It was so empowering as a female. I signed up and was hooked.
[SSF is] An affordable, personalized, adaptable service that has changed along with my needs to support me as my goals and health change.

Brandy B / 32 / Minnesota

“Meg is an inspiration and working on these lifts has made me much more confident and gives me specific goals to work towards but I needed help and Meg and Ryan know their stuff. It has been absolutely incredible, to have coaches that care about your progress, will adapt if needed, and are always going to be there to cheer you on is truly hard to find.

Dani B / 25 / Colorado

“I was beginning to hit a plateau with 5/3/1, so I wanted to try non-generic programming! [Since then] Meg and Ryan have prepared me for two meets thus far and each time I’ve felt more than prepared! I’ve become so much more confident in both my lifts as well as in myself training in the gym. I want to be strong AF and I LOVE that Meg and Ryan both encourage and promote so many women trying to be badass bitches. Starting with SSF was one of the best decisions I’ve made in my lifting journey!

Emma M / 25 / Missouri

“SSF has changed my life and it feel so invigorating to walk into the gym and hit incredible PRs and lift heavy.

Danielle / 23

“If you’re ready for a positive change and linear progression of your total, then choose SSF!!! They are the best by a mile! Through emails, social media, messaging or FB Live, the Strong Strong Friends team makes me feel validated, empowered, important and valued every time.

Valerie L / 33, / Wyoming

“Everything was taken care of by coaches Meg and Ryan! I didn’t have to worry about a thing. They loaded my warm ups, told me what to do every step of the way, and made sure that I enjoyed my time. Strong Strong Friends is not only about gripping the barbell and feeling the weight but it’s about how the barbell transforms you from the inside every time you face a rep, set, or session.

Chavonne A / 31, / California

“Meg, through YouTube got me interested [in Powerlifting] and I ended up falling in love with the idea of being strong. I hit my lowest weight since early high school and have clear muscle definition for the first time ever! My life has improved in so many aspects due to the attentive coaching and care.

Jocelyn M / 24, / Connecticut

“The delivery Megan and Ryan approach training and how they” teach others is a system that worked really well for me when I saw it for the first time.

Natalie Falbo / 21 / Orlando, FL

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In a lunge position with back leg supported on a bench and with weight loaded (barbell on back, goblet in front, or one dumbbell in each hand), sink into lunge position on front leg and squeeze quadriceps to stand back up.

Substitutions

Walking lunge, DBbox step-ups

Single-Leg Leg Press

On the leg press machine, load weight appropriately. Place one foot in the center of the sled. Push upward, unlock the safeties, and lower the sled and push back up to perform a repetition

Substitutions

Cossack squat, walking lunges

DB Box Step Ups

With one dumbbell in each hand, step one leg onto a box and use that leg to drive your body to standing on top of the box. Lower down and switch legs.

In an upright seated position, with one dumbbell in each hand, raise to either side of your head and press above your head until both elbows lock out

Substitutions

Standing OHP, Barbell OHP, single arm DB OHP

Barbell Rows

In a bent position with back parallel to the floor and knees slightly bent, row the bar by pulling it to the lower chest. Control the bar throughout the movement

Substitutions

DB Row, Hammer Strength Row, Inverted row, Landmine T-Bar row

Cable Pullover (straight bar)

Standing facing the cable machine, grab the bar with an overhand position in line with shoulders, pull the bar down sqeezing shoulder blades and keeping the core tight. When the bar reaches your hips, pause and control the movement back to the starting position

Substitutions

Pullover with any cable attachment, DB pullover lying down on bench or on decline

DB Rows

In a bent positon with back parallel to the floor and knees slightly bent, with one dumbbell in each arm, row the dumbbells to the lower chest in a controlled manner

Substitutions

Single arm cable row, single arm lat pull down

Face Pulls

Facing a cable machine, set the pulley to the highest setting and use a rope or split handle attachment. Pull the weight directly towards your face while keeping the upper arms parallel to the floor. Control the cable on the way back to the start position

Substitutions

Band pullaparts, cable high row, ITWY

Cable/Chest-Supported Rows

With a straight back, pinch the shoulder blades together. Chest supported rows are leaning on a bolster and pulling the weight into your body. Cable rows are seated with your legs on a platform in front of you. Pull the weight into the lower chest/sternum

Substitutions

DB row, inverted row, barbell row

Rear-Delt Flyes

With a dumbbell in each hand, bend at the hips so that the chest is parallel to the floor. Squeeze the shoulder blades together and fly the arms away from one another. Control the weight on the way back to the bottom

Substitutions

ITWY, band pull aparts, face pulls

Lat Pull Over

Laying on a flat bench, hold a light barbell overhead in the bench position. Slowly and controlled lower the bar behind the head with the arms over the ears. Keep the torso on the bench and sqeeze to return the bar back to over your chest.

Substitutions

DB Pullover lying down or on decline

Pendlay Rows

In a bent over position with back parallel to the floor, row the bar from the floor into the lower chest and return the bar back to the floor

Substitutions

Barbell row, Kroc rows, chest supported rows, seated cable row

Skullcrushers

Laying on a bench, hold a weight (typically DBs or an EZ bar) above your body directly above your shoulders. Without moving your upper arm, hinge at the elbow and lower the weight in a controlled manner towards your skull, stopping 3-6″ above your face. Then reverse the movement and return the weight to the start position.

Substitutions

Tricep push-downs, OH tricep extension, dips

Hammer Curls

Perform curls using DBs or a neutral grip bar. Keep your palms facing together throughout the entire movement.

Substitutions

Neutral grip curls, chin ups

Alt. DB Curls

Using DBs, perform curls alternating each arm.

Substitutions

EZ bar curls, hammer curls, cable curl

OH Tricep Extension

Holding a weight above your head with your arms extended, lower the weight with control behind your head without moving your upper arms, and then return the weight to an extended overhead position. This variation can be performed with DB, EZ Bar, Cables (rope or V-handle).

Substitutions

Cable push downs, skullcrushers

Barbell Curls

Using a straight barbell, perform curls using an underhand grip.

Substitutions

EZ bar curls, alt. DB curls, hammer curl

Inverted Rows

With a barbell fixed in a low position in a squat rack, hang underneath the bar with your feet on the floor and your hands spaced bench press-width apart. Starting with your arms extended and your body in a straight line (with an engaged core), pull your chest towards the bar maintaining the same straight body positioning and then lower back to an extended start position. To scale this movement, bring your feet closer (easier) or further away/elevated (harder).

Substitutions

DB Row, cable row, chest supported row

Bench Dips

Facing away from a bench, place your palms on a bench behind your body and your feet flat on the floor, bending 90-degrees at the hip and knee. Lower your body until your elbow joint passes 90-degrees, and then press yourself back up to extension using your triceps.

Substitutions

OH tricep extension, tricep push-downs, skullchrushers

Plank

In pushup position with forearms on the ground, maintain neutral spine and squeeze glutes and abdominals. Maintain that position

Substitutions

Side plank, L-sit

Suitcase walk

Hold a weight (kettlebell, dumbbell) on one side of the body and walk. Switch hands with the weight and walk the same distance back.

Substitutions

Heavy carry variation

Ab Rollouts

Supported on knees or in plank position, align shoulders over rollout wheel and roll forward past the head. Maintain position (don’t fall to the ground) and roll the wheel back into under the shoulders.

Substitutions

Barbell rollout, hanging leg raises, L-sit

Band Pullaparts

With your arms out in front of you, holding a band on either end, squeeze the shoulder blades together and separate the band in a fly-motion

Substitutions

Face pulls, cable high row, ITWY

McGill Big 3

A series of 3 core exercises performed in a row: the Curl-Up, Side-Plank, and Bird-Dogs

In a wide stance, press kettlebell overhead in one hand. Keeping the elbow overhead locked out at all times, push the butt in the direction of the locked out kettlebell. Hinge from the hips and slowly touch the floor with your free hand. Keep your eyes on the kettlebell at all times.

Substitutions

DB Windmill, turkish getup, half getup

Bird Dogs

On hands and knees with hands under shoulders and knees under hips, extend one arm out in front of you and the opposite leg out behind you while maintaining a neutral spine. Switch opposite arm/opposite leg

Substitutions

Deadbugs, plants

Back Extensions

On a GHD machine or hyperextension machine, lock in the feet with the hip pad under the pelvis/lower trunk. Fold at the hip so you are perpendicular to the ground (with your head near the floor) and squeeze the erectors/lower back and glutes to pull the torso up above parallel from the floor.

Substitutions

Good mornings, supermans

Deadbugs

Laying on your back, raise arms directly over shoulders and knees over hips, with shins parallel to the floor. Perform exercise by lowering one arm back behind your head and the opposite leg down towards the floor. Maintain contact with the lower back on the floor and squeeze the abdominals to hold the position. Switch sides and perform same exercise with opposite arm and opposite leg.